Flange and rail lubricator.



C. H. EPPLE & G.,A. WHITE. FLANGE AND RAIL LUBRICATOR. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, I915- Papegted Jan. 9, 1917.

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I Patented'Jan. 9, 1917.. A l cation filed March 10', 1915. Seria1 a... 13,534. a

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, CARL HENRY Er PLE and GEORGE A. WmTE,citizens of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the coimty of Alameda, and Bed Bluff, in the count of 'Tehama, respectively, and State of alifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flange and Rail Lubricators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesfto flange and rail lubricators and more particularly tomeans for lubricatingthe rails on track curves.

The principal object of our invention is to provide means for automatically-supplying .a given amount of lubricant on the inner face of the rail head each passes this point. I v

Another object of ourinvention is to so time a car wheel arrange the system that'the lubricantis provided at the beginning of the curve in relation tothe passageiof the train, and where p the 'trainpasses in the opposite direction the head portion of. the relay shown in Fi lubricant would be provided at the other end of the curve.

herein described and: more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

. Reference being had to'the accompanying I drawing forming a part of this specificag lion,

Figure 1 is a view in plan of a portio "of railroad track showing two of our lubricating devices located at each end of the curve. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section through one of theoil reservoirs and the valve used in-connection therewith. Fig. 3. IS a transverse view in section through the rail showing the contact making device attached thereto. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the circuit employed in connection with the lubricator. Fig.f-5 is a View in transverse section through the lubricant reservoir. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view ofthe 4. I Referring to correspon g parts %y the same numerals of refere ce, 1 and 2 denote respectively, the outer and inner rail of the track curve. The inner rail being connected by (conductor 3 to a source of electrical energy 4. The outer rail is divided in two sectlons, 1 and 1 by the insulating joints 5, one of these ioints being located at each end Specification of Letters Patent.

combination and arrangement of parts-as PATENT OFFICE. cA I. HEEEY EPPLE,-OF -()AK1|AND,.A-ND GEORGE A. WHITE, 0E EEi) ELUE cALr oENIA. I 7

of the curve and one approximately at the 6 consists of a base 8 adapted to be clamped on the rail in any preferred manner and attached to this base or formed integral there with is a reservoir 9, this reservoir b63111? provided within a removable top 10, whic 1 may be clamped down so as to'form an air is bolted a valve casing 11 having a passageway 12 extending into the reservoir and there connected to a pipe '13, the said pipe extending across the reservoir and having the exit passage opposite the inner 'face of the rail head 15. Within 'thereservoiiythe a pipe is provided intermediate its length w1th a fitting 16 having a side branch 17 to which tightjoint. Upon the rear'of-the-reservoir is screwed a pipe 18 extending downwardly! to a point ad acent the bottom of the reservoir. -In the. other end-of this side branch 17 is screwed a pipe 19, which is concentric with the pipe '13 and extends to the outer end of this pipe. The passageway 12 is pro vided with a side branch 20, which opens. into the top" of thereservoir, as shown in,-

On one side of the reservoir is" provided a Fig. 5.

filling tube 21 closed by the cap 22-, or other preferred means, the top of this filling eliminate any chance of the oilsurface reachtube being below the opening 20 soas. to

ing this opening and flowing into thepassageway 12. The passageway 12 is provided with-a valve seat.25 whereon is seated the.

-' disk 26, the latter being fastened to the stem 27 extending through the packing gland 28 having, on its outer end the solenoid core 29.

. '30 denotes a solenoid, one terminal of which is. grounded on the rail, the other terminal being connecte by' conductor 31-with the contact device 7.

his latter consists of a curved strip .31 adapted to-rest again'stthe rail and be held thereto by means of the spring 32. The strip 31' has an arm which is attached to the shaft 33, thisshaft being pivotally' mounted in a bearing in plate 34 by which the device is attached 3 to the rail. 1

,To' one side of this'arm 'is attached a casing 35 within which a second arm 3 6 is attached 7 dmlzltior 31 is connected and "which is adapted 43 connected by conductors .44 and 45 with 7 connected by conductor 56 with device adjacent to ake contact with the spring 39, the latter being the rail section '1-a andlb respectively.- The coils act on the armatures46 and 47, the ends of which are adapted to contact with the faces 48 of the head 49. When this contact takes place the head is bent to one side and the spring supporting -member50 makes contact either with 51 or 52, depending in which direction the head is moved.

The upper end of the head is with a projection 53, which is adapted to be caught bythe catches 54 on the ends of the armatures. 46 and 47. The contact 51 is con- ,nected by conductor 55 with the contact.device 7 .on the end of the curve opposite rail section 1a, while the other contact 52is the contact the rail section1-b. The central spring 50 is connected by conductor 57 with one side of the course of current 4, which same side" is connected by conductors 58 and59 to the relay coils 42 and 43.

The operation of 4, a circuit is established between the rail 2 and the section 1a. This causes current'to flow from battery, 4 over conductor 3, rail 2,

5l through the wheels and axles to section 1a,

411 which causes the circuit from battery over conductor 45'to relay 43 to conductor 59 back to battery. This pulls down arma ture 47 and moves the head 49 so that the center. spring makes contact with 51, to However conductor 57 through these rings, conductor to spring 39 of device ad acent 6. The conducting screw 38 is conover rail 2 back except the closing of the gap between spring 39 and contact 38, which takes place each t1me the wheel passes betwen the rail 2 and plate 31. When this takes place the solenoid -30 1s energized lifting the valve 26 from "its seat allowing air to flow from pipe 60 through the passageway 12,, pipe ,13 to. the out opemng.. A portion of the air also flows through the branch- 20 into the interior of the'reservoir above the oil. This ressure tends to force oil upward through t e pipe 18, the fitting 16, and out the short pipe 19.

which tendency together with the atomizing' action of the air passing out the end of the pipe 13, sprays a small quantity of oil'from the end of pipe 19 against the face of the rail head 15. This action takes place each time the wheel passes-the contact device 7 fi nfurnisg a constantv supply of lubricant connected by conductor 40 to the re- U lay 41. This relay consists of two coils 42 and at substantially constant provided no oil 1s spraye this device is as fol-'- lows :,'When the forward trucks out a trainv enter the curve, say, on the left hand of Fig.

by Letters Patent is complete neit er operated to complete'the circuit between the spring 39 andscrew 38 110 oil is sprayed open between. 50 and 52. v When the rear of the tion denoted by, 1 a, the armature 47 is restored to its normal position, but the armature 46 still holds the head to one side and still prevents the contact between the spring 50 and 52, so that while the rear art of the train is passing the secondhalf o the curve It will thus be seen that we have provided for automatically and continuously lubricating the inner face of a rail head while the train is passing around the same. The device operating to lubricate at the 'ng of the curve is arranged to operate on single as well as double track systems, on the latter it being necessary to employ the relay 41, the contact device being directly connected to complete the circult from the source of current to the solenoid 30.

While we have-shown the preferred embodiment of our invention it will be understood that minor changes in detail of structure may be resorted to within the scope of the claims.

What we claim as new and wish to cover 1s: 1. In combination with track rails, an oil reservoir, and means initiated by the pastrain leaves the seethe rail,

by the device 6" owing to the circuit being I sage of a wheel flanlgie for spraying a quan- I tity of oil against t e side of the rail head from said reservoir.

2. In combination with track rails, an oil reservoir, anelectrical. contact maker operated by the train wheel passing over said track rails, a spray nozzle connected with said oil reservoir, a valve for admitting air ers located at each end of said curve adapted to be moved by the passage of the train wheel flanges to operate said oil spray mechanism, a, relay adapted to electrically connect the spraying mechanisms and the contact maker at the end of the track curve Where a train enters, and tovprevent an electrical connection between the spraying mechanisms and contact maker adjacent the exit end of the curve during the passage of the train through the said curve.

4. In combination With track rails, an oil reservoir, an electrical contact maker operated by the passage of a train Wheel flange along said track rails, a spray nozzle attached to said reservoir, electrical means for causing the operation of said spray nozzle and an electrical circuit connecting said contact maker with said electrical means.

In testimony whereof We aflix our signatures in presence of tWo Witnesses. v

' CARL HENRY EPPLE. GEORGE A. WHITE. Witnesses:

R. M. OYARZO, S. D. GIBBEL. 

